The present invention relates generally to seats and seat manufacturing. More particularly the present invention relates to a seat having a suspension material and anchoring system therefore and a method of manufacturing a seat having a suspension material and anchoring system for use in a vehicle.
Elastomeric suspension materials for use in manufacturing a suspended seat cushion or seat back in a seat are known. In particular the use of a suspension material in an automotive vehicle seat is known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,331 discloses a suspension system within a seat portion of a vehicle seat. The suspension system includes an elastomeric fabric secured to a seat frame using plastic clips or plastic edge strips. Additionally, seat cushions are provided which are carried by the suspension.
References similar to the above include U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,231,125; 5,439,271; 5,676,336; 4,842,257; 4,869,554; 5,013,089 and 5,328,248 all of which disclose a mechanical fastening element of various types to fasten a suspension material to a frame seat. Thus it is known to use a mechanical fastening means that includes an elastomeric strip to which the suspension material is fastened or sewn and the strip is captured within a pocket on or about the seat frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,787,562 discloses an aircraft passenger seat including a quick replacement seat bottom diaphragm or suspension. The seat bottom diaphragm includes fore and aft attachment members for quick attachment and detachment from respective fore and aft stretcher bars. The attachment members preferably are formed as channels within the woven fabric of the diaphragm and are preferably integrally formed within the diaphragm to form a channel integrally formed within the woven fabric for receiving the stretcher bar. The stretcher bars are received on the seat frame and supported thereby, and the diaphragm further includes a hook-and-loop type fastener for attachment of a seat cushion.
Consistent with the above, several attempts have been made to engineer and improve the characteristics of the elastomers used in the suspension material. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,779 relates to a seat suspension membrane consisting of a bi-axially oriented film of a polyurethane thermoplastic elastomer composition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,533,789 discloses a seating structure including a fabric support web formed of a wrap-knit fabric with weft insertion of an elastomeric yarn to provide a stretch in the wrap that is substantially linear over a full range of applied stress from 0 pounds to failure. U.S. Pat. No. 5,855,991 discloses a composite textile structure which includes a woven base fabric of elastomeric yarns running in one direction and having a bi-component sheath/core elastomeric monofilament yarns. The sheath/core elastomeric monofilament yarn is designed to have a sheath with a melting point below that of the melting point of the core elastomeric monofilament.
Suspension seats are also known in the furniture art. It is known to provide a seating surface as well as a seat back made of a suspension material connected to a frame. For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,126 discloses a tubular frame seating structure with a tension sleeve that is maintained on a rod-like member frame due to a compression force provided between the sleeve and the frame. The ""126 reference discloses that the tension can be created by adding a tensioning bar between two frame members or may be created by an interference fit between the frame and the sleeve. It is further disclosed that loops are used for installing the tensioned sleeve material on the frame. U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,186 discloses the use of moveable stretcher bars having a fabric suspended thereon wherein the stretcher bars are tightened to stretch the fabric using a threaded member passing through the base frame and the stretcher bar. U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,368 discloses an office chair having a woven membrane in a stretched condition machine and then clamped between a lower and upper loom so it is fixed to frame members which are then placed in an additional structural frame member to form the seat portion and the back portion of the office chair.
A significant draw back of the prior art is that the designs do not provide for the provision of a contour in the material or fabric being stretched across the frame. While some soft contour is possible, it leads to highly undesirable results. The prior art designs have a significant draw back in that they are very difficult to install and manufacture and more difficult if there is a contour in the material. Accordingly, it has not been very difficult and even impossible to achieve certain seat designs for a suspended material seat. With the known designs and it is not possible to obtain such characteristics while providing for a relatively easy and inexpensive assembly of the stretched suspension material.
One embodiment of the present invention relates to a seat suspension device for suspending a material on a frame such as a frame of a seat. The seat suspension device according to the present invention provides a significant improvement in the ease of assembly when installing a material such as an elastomeric filament based woven fabric on a frame of a vehicle seat. A frame member has a predefined cross-section and forms a bar portion of the seat. The seat further includes a support member offset from the frame member, the support member also has a predefined and formed perimeter. A tension member is connected to the frame member at a first end and a second end of the tension member is removably connected to the frame member such that a connector or a loop an end of the material can be connected or slid over the tension member when the second end of the tension member is not connected to the frame member. After the material is connected to the tension member in the dislocated position, the tension member is then moved into the connected position where the second end of the tension member is connected to the frame member using mechanical leverage at the second end of the tension member such that the material is stretched to an appropriate condition on the frame member.
An additional embodiment of the present invention relates to a seat, such as a vehicle seat, having a seat portion and a back portion, the back portion having a frame member and a support member offset from the frame member, the back portion further includes a seat suspension device according to the present invention.
The tension member of the seat suspension device is preferably a rod connected to the frame member at a first end using an S-shaped connection to a hole in the tubular frame member or any other appropriate pivoting or moveable connection. The second end of the tension member pivots about the connection point and is connected to the frame member using a clasp or hook arrangement.
Accordingly, the suspension material has a first end having a first connector element such as a J-clip or other appropriate connectors for connections of the first end to the support member and a second end having a second connector element distal from the first connector for connection with the tension member. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the suspension material is folded back onto itself and is sewn at a sew line to create a folded section having the second end of the suspension material therein and the tension member or rod is inserted through the folded portion of the suspension material. Once the first connector element of the suspension material is connected to the support member and the second end of the suspension member is connected to the tension rod, the tension rod is moved to the closed position where the second end of the tension rod is connected to the clasp of the tubular frame member causing the suspension material to be stretched on the frame member of the seat.
A method for manufacturing a seat having a seat suspension device includes the steps of manufacturing a seat suspension material of an appropriate fabric and having a first end connector element for connection with the support member of the seat""s suspension device and the second end having a second connector element distal from the first connector element for connection with a tension member of the seat suspension device. The material is anchored to the seat and is stretched into a contoured position. The first connector element is connected to the support member and the second connector element is connected to the tension member and the tension member is moved to be coupled with the frame member and to stretch the suspension material. The seat is further finished by applying additional trim and bolsters to complete the vehicle seat.
Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a seat suspension device for suspending a material on a frame of a portion of a seat, such as a seat for use in a vehicle. It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a seat suspension device which is easier to use and install and is a more cost effective solution then has been available. Further, it is a feature of the present invention to provide a seat suspension device which is capable of providing a contoured seat suspension material. It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a seat suspension device which uses simple clips and loops to attach the seat suspension material to the frame and support member of the seat.
The present invention further relates to various features and combinations of features shown and described in the disclosed embodiments. Other ways in which the objects and features of the disclosed embodiments are accomplished will be described in the following specification or will become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the following specification. Such other objects and features are deemed to fall to within the scope of the disclosed embodiment (s) if they fall within the scope of the claims which follow.